Numerous devices have been heretofore devised to carry loads in rugged terrain areas which are not accessible by most motorized vehicles. For example, sportsmen often hunt in remote areas that are inaccessible by highway vehicles. Thus, the transportation of large game carcasses becomes difficult. In other situations, rescue workers are called on to transport sick or injured persons from such areas.
Examples of prior devices are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,192 (Thompson); U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,291 (Shoestock, Sr.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,780 (Bambrough); U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,978 (Rhodes et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,193 (Dschaak); Des. U.S. Pat. No. 391,734 (Melgey); U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,307 (Stevenson); U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,196 (Michno); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,720 (Stringer). The various prior devices have suffered from numerous shortcomings. For example, in order to transport the carriers in the manner of a backpack, the wheels of the carrier generally have had to be of small diameter. See, for example, Stringer U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,720. Devices with mall wheels are not easy to roll over difficult, rough terrain which often contains rocks, stumps, or other hazards. Other prior art examples, illustrated by the foregoing patents, in some cases, had larger diameter wheels, but the same have had to be removed from the axles in order to transport the devices on a user's back.
A need has, thus, continued to exist for new and improved portable load carrying carriers which are stable and easy to use when assembled, and which are readily collapsed to a form wherein they are portable in the manner of a backpack.